Enclosure and stand therefor



Dec. 14, 1965 K. R. PENNE 3,223,468

ENCLOSURE AND STAND THEREFOR Filed Sept. 9, 1963 29 Fla 2 INVENTOR. KENNETH R. FENNE BY 3( Z ATTYS.

United States Patent O 3,223,468 ENCLGSURE AND STAND THEREFOR Kenneth R. Ferme, River Forest, lili., assigner to Motorola, Inc., Franklin Park, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 307,506 Claims. (Cl. S12-255) This invention relates to support apparatus for enclosures, and more particularly to an improved stand for a portable stereophonic phonograph.

It is advantageous, in certain circumstances, that stereophonic phonograph equipment or similar electronic apparatus be fully portable. Such portable equipment is often quite heavy and diicult to handle. A convenient shape for the enclosure of stereophonic phonograph equipment is a generally flattened box with a lid which may be raised to provide access to the turntable. When, as is often the case, space requirements necessitate storing the normally flattened box containing the equipment in a vertical position, great etfort may be required, on the part of the user, to shift positions from horizontal to vertical and vice versa.

Generally, a separate stand or table must be used for supporting the portable apparatus when in use. It may be desirable to provide such portable apparatus with its own attached stand, however, problems arise in attempting to do so. A stand which will provide suicient support may add considerable weight and bulk to the apparatus. Furthermore, if the stand is to be fully collapsible when the apparatus is transported, it is often necessary to utilize complex linkages and slides to achieve a unit which is readily portable.

It is an object of this invention to provide a portable electronic device with a simply constructed stand which collapses for easy portability.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved, lightweight collapsible stand attached to a cabinet, which stand permits the cabinet to be easily pivoted to a usable position as the stand is spread, and vice versa.

Still another object is to provide a collapsible stand attached to a cabinet, which stand supports the cabinet in two positions, in either of which the cabinet is readily portable.

A feature of the invention is the provision, on a cabinet for containing portable electronic apparatus, of pivotally joined support members with portions above the joined points pivotally connected to the cabinet and oblique to portions below the joined points. The members are disposed so that the portions above the joints cross when the lower portions are spread.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of two support members, each having obliquely related upper and lower portions, with a cabinet pivotally secured to the upper portions and with the support members pivotally joined at the juncture between their respective upper and lower portions, with the reflex angles facing each other.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of a pair of U-shaped support members pivotally joined to form a folding stand for a cabinet. The cabinet is pivotally mounted at a first point to one member, and pivotally and slidably mounted at a second point above the first point to another member. The first point is on one side of the other member when the cabinet is vertical, and is on the opposite side when the cabinet is horizontal.

In practicing the invention, a cabinet for a portable stereophonic phonograph is supported by a collapsible stand which is fastened to the cabinet. The stand is comprised of two pairs of elongated members. One pair is joined by a transverse handle at the upper ends of its two parallel sides, and the other pair is joined by a transverse member at the lower ends of its two parallel sides. The

3,223,468 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 ice lower transverse member has an axle passed therethrough upon which wheels are mounted.

Each of the parallel sides of the U-shaped members has obliquely related upper and lower sections. The U- shaped members are pivotally connected to each other at the junctures between the upper and lower sections of their respective parallel sides. The upper sections of the first member are longer than the upper sections of the second and are pivotally and slidably connected to the cabinet. The upper sections of the second member are pivotally connected at points intermediate the points of connection of the rst member and the juncture between the upper and lower sections. The points of connection of the second member are on one side of the first member when the cabinet is vertical, and are on the other side when the cabinet is horizontal. With the cabinet in a vertical position, the lower sections are disposed relatively close to each other while still spread sufiiciently to form a supporting base. As the cabinet is movedy to a horizontal position, the lower sections spread, causing the upper sections to cross for maximum angular displacement of the cabinet for a given movement of the lower sections.

In the drawing, FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the cabinet and stand of the invention in transporting position with an intermediate position shown in phantom.

FIG. 2` is a front elevation of the cabinet and stand;

FG. 3 is a side elevation of the cabinet and stand in operating position;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the cabinet, as positioned in FIG. 3, on a reduced scale; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 4, there is shown a cabinet 11 for a portable stereophonic phonograph. Cabinet 11 includes a lid 13 which may be raised to provide access to the controls 15, turntable (not visible), and other interior elements of the phonograph. Cabinet 11 is also provided with a pair of speaker enclosures 17 and 19 which are hinged to cabinet 11 and may be swung outwardly thereof to an operative position as shown in FIG. 4. When in closed position, speaker enclosures 17 and 19 may be latched to the cabinet. Cabinet 11 may be moved to a vertical or storage position when not in use, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is moved to a horizontal or operating position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 when in use.

A stand is provided for cabinet 11 which is fastened thereto and forms an integral assembly therewith. The stand is collapsible when cabinet 11 is moved to the storage position to occupy a minimum of space and for easy portability, and spreads to securely support the cabinet in operating position. The stand is comprised of a pair of generally U-shaped stand members 21 and 23. Stand member 21 is disposed with its transverse portion 25 at the upper end of its two parallel side portions 26 and 27. A gripping handle 29 is provided on transverse portion 25 to facilitate movement of the assembly as will be explained.

U-shaped stand member 23, on the other hand, includes a transverse portion 31 at the lower end of its parallel side portions 32 and 33. Transverse portion 31 of stand member 23 is provided with an axle 35 passed therethrough at either end of which are mounted wheels 37 and 39. These wheels enable the assembly to be moved about without lifting since the assembly may be tipped back and pushed by handle 29. In addition, the wheels facilitate the movement of cabinet 11 from storage to operating positions as will be explained. This is particularly advantageous since the cabinet and the equipment therein may constitute a heavy, bulky and diicult to handle unit.

Parallel side portions 26 and 27 of stand member 21 are bent intermediate their ends to form upper and lower sections obliquely disposed to each other. Similarly, parallel, side portions 32 and 33 of stand member 23 are bent intermediate their ends to form obliquely disposed upper and lower sections. The upper sections of side portions 26 and 27 are pivotally mounted to cabinet 11 by mounting pins 41 and 42 in axial alignment. Similarly, the upper sections of parallel side portions 32 and 33 of stand member 23 are secured to cabinet 11 by pivot pins 43 and 44, also in axial alignment. Stand members 21 and 23 are pivotally joined by axially aligned pins 45 and 46 which are placed at the bends in the respective parallel side portions between the upper and lower sections thereof.

The obliquely disposed upper and lower sections of the respective parallel side portions 26, 27 and 32, 33 of stand members 21 and 23 form reex angles a and b. Stand members 21 and 23 are so disposed that these reilex angles are facing each other, as may be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. A stop pin 49 is secured to cabinet 11 and engages the lower part of side portion 32 of stand member 21 to limit the pivoting of the cabinet 11 to a vertical position shown in FIG. 1. The tendency of cabinet 11 to rotate in a clockwise direction (FIG. 1) about pin 43, due to the fact that its center of gravity is to the right of pin 43, will be opposed by the force of pin 49 bearing against side portion 32. Although the cabinet would be limited in the vertical position by pins 41 and 42 bottoming in slots 51 and 52, stop pin 49 is used because it is easier to locate and mount from a production standpoint than to hold exacting tolerances on slots 51 and 52. As shown in FIGS. l and 2, when the cabinet 11 is in a storage position, the stand is folded compactly to permit easy portability and storage in minimum space, but still supports the cabinet. The upper sections of side portions 26 and 27 of stand member 21 are in a vertical position when the cabinet is vertical, and the entire assembly may be picked up by handle 29, or may be tipped back and wheeled on wheels 37 and 39.

In order to permit the rotating of the cabinet from the vertical to the horizontal or operating position while keeping the movement and complexity of the stand at a minimum, and while maintaining a spread of the stand for proper support, it is necessary that, as the lower sections of side portions 26, 27 and 32, 33 are spread apart, the upper sections thereof should cross. Because the upper sections of side portions 26, 27, and 32, 33 are pivotally secured to fixed pins in cabinet 11, the pins will move in arcuate paths with respect to pins 45 and 46. The arcuate paths of the pins will be in opposite directions and as they pass each other there is maximum change in angular relationship for a given motion of the stand members. In order that cabinet 11 be rotated through substantially a right angle with respect to the oor, the change in the angular relationship between pins 41, 42 and pins 43, 44 with respect to each other, plus the change in angular relationship of these pins with respect to the floor, should total about 90. That is, the change in angle in FIG. 3 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 3, plus the change in the angle 45 shown in FIG. 3 from the position of FIG. 1 to the position of FIG. 3, should approximate 90. This is accomplished as the upper parts of the parallel side portions 32 and 33 cross or pass through the upper parts of parallel side portions 26, 27. Thus to pivot the cabinet 11 to an operative position from the storage positions, the speaker end is gripped and drawn in a direction corresponding to the left in FIG. 1. This pivots the cabinet through the position shown in phantom in FIG. l to the position shown in FIG. 3. At the same time, the stand spreads easily as wheels 37 and 39 roll the lower end of stand member 23 away from the lower end of stand member 21 until the upper sections of side portions 32 and 33 of stand member 23 are vertical.

It will be noted from the phantom showing in FIG. 1 that, as the upper see-tions of the parallel side portions are CII passing through one another, the fact that pins 42, 41 and pins 43, 44 are in fixed relation to each other on the cabinet 11 necessitates that some lost motion be absorbed. This is accomplished by the provision of slots 51 and 52 in parallel side portions 26 and 27, respectively, of stand member 21. To keep lost motion at a minimum, the angular relation between the upper sections of side portions 26 and 27 with the respective upper sections of side portions 32 and 33 should be equal in both the storage and operating positions, except, of course, the upper sections are reversed. The detail of slots 51 and 52 is shown in FIG. 5. Pin 41 is secured in cabinet 11 and has a free end extending into slot 51. Pin 42 may be similarly constructed. When the cabinet reaches operating position, it is held there by pins 41 and 42 bottoming against the lower ends of slots 51 and 52. It may be desirable to manufacture slots 51 and 52 such that the cabinet 11 has a slight forward tilt. This will keep the speaker enclosures 17 and 19 in opened out position.

It may therefore be seen that the invention comprises a unique stand for a portable cabinet which permits movement of the cabinet from a storage position to an operating position with a minimum of structure and movement. The stand provides rigid support for the assembly and may be constructed of lightweight durable aluminum. Such an assembly may be incorporated in a stereophonic phonograph to combine the portability of a portable model with the convenience and sturdiness of a console model.

I claim:

1. A cabinet and stand therefor, including in combination, a cabinet to `be supported upright for storage and to be turned to a horizontal position for use, a first pair of parallel support arms extending along 4opposite sides of said cabinet, first means pivotally and slidably securing said first arms to said sides of said cabinet, a second pair of parallel support arms extending along said sides of said cabinet, second means pivotally securing said second arms to said sides, means pivotally joining said first and second support arms with said second means intermediate said first means and the pivotal juncture of said first and second support arms, said second means being on one side of said first pair of support arms with said cabinet in the upright position on the other side of said first pair of support arms with said cabinet in the hon'- zontal position, said first and second support arms being flared away from one another below the juncture thereof in both the upright and horizontal positions of said cabinet to form legs therefor.

2. A cabinet and stand therefor including in combination, a cabinet to be supported upright for storage and to be turned to a horizontal position for use, a first pair of parallel support arms extending along opposite sides of said cabinet, first means pivotally securing said first arms to said sides of said cabinet, a second pair of parallel support arms extending along said opposite sides of said cabinet, second means pivotally securing said second arms to said sides, means pivotally joining said first and second support arms at a juncture, said first pair of support arms being shorter from said first means to said junctures than the length of said second pair of support arms from saidsecond means to said junctures, said second pair of arms being slidable on said second means, said first and second pairs of arms having a given angular displacement therebetween above said junctures with said cabinet in the upright position and having the same angular displacement therebetween with said cabinet in the horizontal position and said support arms reversed 'with respect to one another.

3. A cabinet and stand therefor including in combination, a cabinet to be supported upright for storage and to be turned to a horizontal position for use, said cabinet having a raisable lid in the top thereof when in horizontal position, a first pair of parallel support arms extending along opposite sides of said cabinet, a slot in each of said first arms proximate the upper ends thereof, a first pair of pivot studs on said opposite sides of said cabinet and extending into said slots and -slidable therein, a second pair of parallel support arms extending along said sides of said cabinet, a second pair of pivot studs securing said second arms to said sides, means pivotally joining said first and second support arms with said second pair of pivot studs intermediate said first pair of pivot studs and the pivotal juncture of said first and second support arms, said second pair of pivot studs being on one side of said first pair of support arms with said cabinet in the upright position and on the other side of said first pair of support arms with said cabinet in the horizontal position, said first and second support arms being flared away from `one another below the juncture thereof in both the upright and horizontal positions of said cabinet to form legs therefor.

4. A cabinet and stand therefor including in combination, a ycabinet to lbe supported upright for storage and to be turned to a horizontal position for use, a first pair of parallel support arms extending along opposite sides of said cabinet, a slot in each of said first arms, a first pair of pivot studs on said opposite sides of said cabinet extending into said slots and pivotal and slidable therein, a second pair of parallel support arms extending along said sides of said cabinet, a second pair of pivot studs pivotally securing said second arms to said sides, means pivotally joining said first and second support arms at a juncture, said first pair of support arms being longer from said first pair of pivot studs to said junctures than the length of said second pair of support arms from said second pair of pivot studs to said junctures, means limiting said first pair of arms in the vertical position when said cabinet is upright, said first and second pairs of arms having a given angular displacement therebetween above said junctures with said cabinet in the upright position and having the same angular displacement therebetween with said cabinet in the 4horizontal position and said support arms reversed with respect to one another, said second support arms being limited in the vertical position when said cabinet is horizontal by said first pair of studs engaging respective ends f said slots, said first and second support arms being flared away from one another below the juncture thereof in both the upright and horizontal positions of said cabinet to form legs therefor.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein a handle joins said first support arms outwardly lof said cabinet.

6. The combination of claim 4 wherein wheels are mounted on the lower extremities of said second support arms.

7. A stand for supporting ya cabinet selectively in storing and operating positions and including in combination, first and second elongated stand means each having an upper section pivotally secured to the cabinet and a lower section extending oblique to said upper section, and means pivotally securing said first and second stand means at the junctures between said upper and lower sections thereof, said stand means being disposed with the respective reflex angles formed by said upper and lower sections thereof facing each other such that crossing of said upper sections of said stand means will occur as said lower sections of said stand means are moved from a relatively adjacent relationship to a relatively spaced relationship and vice versa, whereby angular displacement of the cabinet may be achieved through minimum movement of said elongated stand means.

8. Portable stereophonic phonograph apparatus including in c-ombination, a cabinet having a top, a rear wall and two side walls, said top having a raisable lid therein and said rear wall having a pair of speaker enclosures pivotal outwardly thereof to be disposed extending from respective ones of said side walls, first and second U-shaped members each having a pair of parallel stand portions and a transverse portion extending therebetween, each of said parallel stand portions having obliquely disposed upper and lower sections, first means pivotally securing said upper sections of said stand p0rtions to the cabinet, said first means comprising a pair of longitudinal slots in said upper sections of said parallel stand portions of said first U-shaped member and pivot pins extending thereinto, said first means further comprising a second pair of pivot pins pivotally securing said upper sections of said stand portions of said second U-shaped member to said cabinet, second means pivotally securing each of said stand portions of said first U-shaped member to a respective one of said stand portions of said second U-shaped member at the junctures between said upper and lower sections of each of said stand portions, said U- shaped members being disposed with the respective reiiex angles formed by said upper and lower sections of said stand portions thereof facing each other such that crossing of said upper sections of said stand portions -of said first and second U-shaped members respectively will occur as said lower sections of said stand portions of said first and second U-shaped members respectively are moved from a relatively adjacent relationship to a relatively spaced relationship and vice versa, a stop pin fixed to said cabinet and extending therefrom to engage said first U- shaped member and limit movement of said lower sections of said stand portions of said first and second U-shaped members toward each other, said first pair of pivot pins bottoming against said slots in said upper sections of said stand portions of said first U-shaped member to limit movement of said lower sections of said stand portions of said first and second U-shaped members away from each other, whereby substantially right angle displacement of the cabinet may be achieved through minimum movement of said elongated members.

9. A stand for supporting a furniture piece of generally flattened configuration selectively in an upright position and in a horizontal position, said stand including in combination, first and second elongated stand means, each having an upper section pivotally secured to the furniture piece and a lower section extending obliquely to said upper section, and means pivotally securing said first and second stand means at the junctures between said upper and lower sections thereof, said stand means being disposed with the respective reflex angles formed by said upper and lower sections thereof facing each other such that crossing of said upper sections of said stand means will occur as said lower sections of said stand means are moved from a relatively adjacent relationship to a relatively spaced relationship and vice versa, whereby angular displacement of the furniture piece may be achieved through minimum movement of said elongated stand means.

10. A stand for supporting a furniture piece of generally fiattened configuration selectively in an upright position for storage and in a horizontal position for use, including in combination, a first pair of parallel support arms extending along opposite sides of the furniture piece, first means pivotally securing said first arms to the sides of the furniture piece, a second pair of parallel support arms extending along the opposite sides of the furniture piece, second means pivotally securing said second arms to the sides of the furniture piece, means pivotally joining said first and second support arms at a juncture, said first pair of support arms being shorter from said first means to said junctures than the length of said second pair of support arms from said second means to said junctures, said second pair of support arms being slidable on said second means, said first and second pair of arms having `a given angular displacement therebetween above sa-id junctures with the furniture piece in the upright position and having t-he same angular displacement therebetween with the furniture piece in the horizontal position and said support arms reversed wit-h respect to one another.

(References on foiowing page) References Cited by the Examiner 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS Sutter 10S-120 Burrowes 297-57 D Smith 248-432 Hodgson S12-255 Schermerhorn 297--57 Woods 280-41 v8 2,802,578 8/1957 Barile 248-164 X 3,014,760 12/1961 Gard 280-41 X FOREIGN PATENTS 451,729 9/ 1949 Italy. 266,536 6/ 1950 Switzerland.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner. 

7. A STAND FOR SUPPORTING A CABINET SELECTIVELY IN STORING AND OPERATING POSITIONS AND INCLUDING IN COMBINATION FIRST AND SECOND ELONGATED STAND MEANS EACH HAVING AN UPPER SECTION PIVOTALLY SECURED TO THE CABINET AND A LOWER SECTION EXTENDING OBLIQUE TO SAID UPPER SECTION, AND MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURING SAID FIRST AND SECOND STAND MEANS AT THE JUNCTURES BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS THEREOF, SAID STAND MEANS BEING DISPOSED WITH THE RESPECTIVE REFLEX ANGLES FORMED BY SAID UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS THEREOF FACING EACH OTHER SUCH THAT CROSSING OF SAID UPPER SECTIONS OF SAID STAND MEANS WILL OCCUR AS SAID LOWER SECTIONS OF SAID STAND MEANS ARE MOVED FROM A RELATIVELY ADJACENT RELATIONSHIP TO A RELATIVELY SPACED RELATIONSHIP AND 